Apparatus for reacting strip material with a liquefied reagent



-APPARATUS FOR REACTING STRIP MATERIAL. WITH A LIQUEFIED REAGENT Original Filed Feb. 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Shet l I QZ,

34 .V5 IUFE Dec. 7, 1937- E; GEBAUER-FUELNEG G ET'AL 2,101,138

APPARATUS FOR REACTING STRIP MATERIAL WITH A LIQUEFIED REAGENT Original Filed Feb. 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I lllill ll l lll A r r k E YUFE dau/ard WZ. $7 4622.

Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITEDVST'ATES PATENT o-FFicE' APPARATUS FOR REACTI NG STRIP 'MATE- RIAL WITH A LIQUEFIED REAGENT Erich Gebauer-Fuelnegg, deceased, late of Evanston, 111., by Marie Gebauer-Fuelnegg, administratrix, Evanston, Ill., and Edouard M. Kratz, Gary, Ind., 'assignors, by mesne assignments, to Marbo Patents 1110., a corporation of Delaware Application February 6, 1935, Serial No. 5,218

Renewed June 13, 1936 3 Claims. (01. 23--285) of apparatus which is also suitable for use in the carrying out of reactions between strip material and liquefied reagents.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for carrying out in a continuous' manner the reaction between strip material and a liquefied reagent, with means for maintaining the liquefied reagent at a temperature below its boiling or volatilizing point and means for sealing the apparatus against loss of any volatilized reagents.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide an apparatus inwhich'strip material may be continuously reacted'with a liquefied reagent at extremely low temperatures, the apparatus including a relatively large diameter roll adapted to be immersed within the liquefied reagent and to carry the strip material into contact with said reagent.

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying the principles of the invention,

with parts in elevation. V

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line II--II of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a broken, enlarged view of a conveyor belt for use with the apparatus of Fig. 3.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral In (Figs. 1 and 2) indicates a tank or receptacle for containing a liquefied reagent Said tank is preferably rectangular in shape and is open at its upper end, with a sealing trough l2 extending completely around the upper edge l3. Said trough I2 is adapted to be filled with a sealing fluid l4, such as a heavy mineral oil or other inert liquid. A

cover I5 is adapted to be fitted over the tank In with its lower edges l6 extending into said trough" l2 and resting on the bottom thereof. The sealing fluid |4 thus effects a seal between the cover l5 and the tank I0 when the cover is positioned in place.

A relatively large diameter roll I! is mounted" Within the tank II) with its journals 3 and I9 extending through the side Walls of the tank and supported therein. Packing glands 20 and 2| are provided for the journals I8 and I9, respectively. The journal I!) is extended to provide a driving connection 22, whereby the roll I! may be rotated at a suitable speed.

Coils 23 are positioned in the bottom of the tank H, or in any other suitable position, for the circulation of a refrigerant to maintain the liquefied reagent at the proper temperature below its boiling or volatilization point. A pipe 24 connected to the coils 23 forms a part of the refrigerant cycle.

The tank 10 is provided with an inlet pipe 25 Strip material, indicated at 26, is introduced through an opening or slot 21 in the cover l5 and is trained around the roll l1 and passes out through an opening or slot 28 also in the cover l5. Said openings 21 and 28 are sealed by means of seals 29 and 30, respectively. Each of said seals 29 and 30 comprises strips of flexible material resiliently contacting the surfaces of the strip material 26. A plurality of such seals can be used at the adit and exit of the tank, if desired.

The modified form of the apparatus disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4 comprises a relatively deeper tank 3| having a cover 32 therefor. The joint between the cover 32 and the tank 3| is sealed by means of a liquid seal 33 similar to that already described. A roll 34 is mounted Within the tank 3| and journaled in the Walls thereof. A body of liquefied reagent 35 is maintained within the tank 3| up to a level just below the top edge of the tank.

Guiding means for the strip material 35 comprises a plurality of rollers 31 and 38 mounted near the bottom of the tank and other sets of rollers 39, 40, 4|, and 42 supported on brackets 43 from the side walls of said tank 3|. A pair of conveyor belts 44 and 45 are trained around said rollers, the outside belt 44 being trained around the rollers 39, 3'1, 38, 42 and the large roll 34, while the inside belt 45 is trained around the rollers 40 and 4| and the large roll 34. Seals 46 and 41 are provided at the adit and exit openings in the cover 32.

The strip material 36 passes through the seal 46 and in between the belts 44 and 45 as they pass between the rolls 39 and 40. Said belts 44 and 45 serve to guide the strip material 36 around the roll 34 and back out between the rollers 4i and 42 for removal through the seal 41 from the tank.

Each of the belts 44 and 45 may suitably be formed from thin, ribbon metal with longitudinally extending strips 48 and 49 joined by transverse strips 59. The belts may be made of any suitable material that is not attacked by the liquefied reagent. Where the apparatus is being used for reacting rubber with liquefied hydrogen chloride or chlorine, the belts may suitably be formed of tantalum, since this metal is not attacked by these reagents.

Since the apparatus of our invention has been particularly devised for the carrying out of the reaction between rubber, and rubber-like substances, with hydrohalides or halogens, its operation will be described in that connection. Before running the liquefied reagent into the tank, the strip of rubber is threaded through the entrance seal in the cover around the driven roll and out through the seal for the exit in the cover. In order to accomplish this, the cover may, of course, be elevated sufficiently to facilitate the threading operation. The cover is then set in place and the joints between the cover and tank sealed by means of a sealing liquid. The liquefied reagent is then introduced into the tank up to the desired depth and the refrigerant cycle set in operation to maintain the liquefied reagent within the tank at the proper temperature. The roll I! or 34 is then driven at the proper speed to effect the reaction between rubber and the liquefied reagent. such as hydrogen chloride. This reaction pro ceeds rapidly and goes to substantial completion Within a minute or so. The speed of rotation of the driven drum is therefore so controlled as to hold the strip of rubber in contact with the liquefied reagent for the period of time required to carry the reaction to the degree of completeness desired.

It is known that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and therefore, it is not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. Apparatus for reacting strip material with a liquefied reagent, comprising a tank for said liquefied reagent, a removable cover for said tank, sealing means associated with said tank for sealing the joint between said cover and tank, a roll within said tank for carrying strip material into contact with said reagent, means for driving said roll, refrigerating means within said tank and continuous flexible reticulated belts trained to contact said roll for guiding said strip material about said roll. 7 r

2. Apparatus for reacting strip material with a liquefied reagent, comprising a tank for said liquefied reagent, a removable cover for said tank, sealing means associated with said tank for sealing the joint between said cover and tank, said cover having openings for the passage therethrough of strip material and seals for said openings, a roll .within said tank for carrying strip material into contact with said reagent, means for driving said roll, refrigerating means within said tank and continuous flexible reticulated belts trained to contact said roll for guiding said strip material about said roll.

3. Apparatus for reacting strip material with a liquefied reagent, comprising a tank for said liquefied reagent, a driven roll within said tank adapted to be immersed in said reagent, refrigerating means in said tank, a pair of reticulated belts trained to lap said roll, rollers mounted in said tank to guide said belts, a cover for said tank having sealed openings for the passage of strip material therethrough and liquid means for sealing said cover to said tank.

MARIE GEBAUER-FUELNEGG, Administmtria: of the Estate of Erich Gebauer- Fuelnegg, Deceased.

' EDOUARD M. KRATZ. 

